Indian, Pakistani students, rights officials meet in Nepal

Kathmandu, Dec 1 (IANS) Even as relations between India and Pakistan hit a rough patch in the wake of the audacious terror attack in Mumbai, students and human rights officials of both countries are meeting in Nepal.New Delhi has refused to let the Indian cricket team tour Pakistan next year following the Mumbai attack by a group of terrorists, allegedly trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan.

HOwever, a team of 97 schoolchildren from India has arrived in Kathmandu to participate in the first South Asian Taekwondo tournament. Also taking part in the tourney, that was inaugurated Monday by former Nepal prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, is a five-member team from Pakistan.

Nearly 200 school children from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka are taking part in the games with India sending the biggest delegation.

Addressing the participants, Koirala, now the chief of the main opposition party, said athletes were the ambassadors of their countries, strengthening diplomacy.

As the championship kicks off, another South Asian meet is coming to a close in Kathmandu where too India and Pakistan are meeting across the table.

The National Human Rights Commissions of six of the eight SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries are taking part in the two-day consultations in Kathmandu that started Sunday to discuss the status of child rights in the region.

Representatives from the apex right bodies of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka are taking part in the talks, while Afghanistan and Bhutan were absent.